The forest fires of Monday covered the sky of Greece with smoke, as reported by the National Observatory of Athens/METEO.
An image from the European satellite METEOSAT-11 shows the severity and extent of the forest fires that occurred yesterday and are still active, with smoke covering the sky of several regions of our country.
More specifically, the transport of smoke over the Northern and Central Aegean from the forest fires in Evros and Rhodope can be distinguished over Boeotia from the forest fire in Psachna (Evia), over the Peloponnese from the forest fire in Prodromos (Boiotia) and, finally, over the South Aegean from the fire in Kythnos.
Extreme fire-meteorological conditions (Hot-Dry-Windy) today and tomorrow
It is recalled that extreme fire-meteorological conditions are expected in large parts of our country on Tuesday and Wednesday, as shown by the analysis of the most recently available forecast data of the FLAME pyrometeorological team of the METEO unit of the National Observatory of Athens (EAA).
The cause of the extreme fire-meteorological conditions is the combination of high temperatures, a dry atmosphere and significantly strengthened winds (Hot-Dry-Windy type weather).
Extreme fire-meteorological conditions (Hot-Dry-Windy) today and tomorrow
It is recalled that extreme fire-meteorological conditions are expected in large parts of our country on Tuesday and Wednesday, as shown by the analysis of the most recently available forecast data of the FLAME pyrometeorological team of the METEO unit of the National Observatory of Athens (EAA).
The cause of the extreme fire-meteorological conditions is the combination of high temperatures, a dry atmosphere and significantly strengthened winds (Hot-Dry-Windy type weather).
Based on the Canadian System of Fire Meteorological Indicators, on Tuesday South Macedonia and Thrace, Halkidiki, Thessaly, Aetoloakarnania, Evia, Phocis, the Fthiotida, Boeotia, Attica, Achaia, Corinthia, Argolis, Laconia, Thassos, Samothraki, Lemnos, Lesbos, Chios and areas in Ilia, Messinia, Kefalonia, and Northern Cyclades.
For Wednesday, we expect the highest level of risk of occurrence and spread of forest fires in Thrace, Evia, Phocis, Fthiotida, Boeotia, Attica, Corinth, Argolis, Laconia, Samothrace and locally in Ilia, Achaia, Messinia, Thessaly, Lesbos, Chios and Northern Cyclades.
METEO reports that it is essential to emphasise that the analysis of the available forecast data shows that extreme fire-meteorological conditions will persist throughout some regions of our country. As can be seen in the following two diagrams, the Hot-Dry-Windy pyrometeorological index for a random spot in Attica does not seem to decrease significantly (persistence of extreme pyrometeorological conditions) until midnight on Wednesday (23/8), while correspondingly, the contained moisture content of dead forest fuels will remain at values below 10%, which indicate very high ignitability.
Similar conditions to Attica (persistence of extreme pyrometeorological conditions around the clock) are also expected in N. Phocis, W. Boeotia and places in Achaia, Corinthia, Argolis, Laconia and Samothraki. The persistence of extreme fire-meteorological conditions during the night hours significantly complicates the control of any forest fires that occur in the above areas.
READ MORE: HISTORIC GREEK CHURCH COMPLETELY DESTROYED IN WILDFIRE.
